notes

The Virtues of The Day of Arafat: Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali

BY IMAM ZAID SHAKIR

Oct 26, 2012 at 7:41 am

The following excerpt is from “Lata’if al-Ma’arif” by Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali concerning the virtue and some of the actions to be undertaken on the Day of Arafa (pp. 487-495) I wanted to get this out today for the benefit of the believers so I have not taken the time to…

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Ramadan and Charity: Healing for the Land

BY IMAM ZAID SHAKIR

Jul 28, 2012 at 4:07 am

Ill Fares the land, to hast’ning ill a prey; Where wealth accumulates, and men decay. Oliver Goldsmith British-Irish author (1730 - 1774) In his final book, Ill Fares the Land, Tony Judt laments the materialism and selfishness he saw destroying the very fabric of modern society. Were…

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Will You Marry My Daughter?

BY IMAM ZAID SHAKIR

Jul 03, 2012 at 2:45 am

She taught Ella and Billie Holliday how to sing. She made Miles Davis cool and taught Duke how to swing. She gave Malcolm his X and made Martin a king. Without her Michael Jordan wouldn’t have six rings! Will you marry my daughter? She gave Nat Turner…

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The Beauty of Islam

BY IMAM ZAID SHAKIR

Jun 15, 2012 at 2:05 am

Death and destruction tend to be associated with Muslims, but the Prophet reminded, “God is Beautiful and He likes beauty.” For many people, including some Muslims, it has become difficult to associate Islam with beauty. The popular view of Islam is based largely on images conveyed by the mass media,…

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The Significance of Malcolm X for American Muslim Youth

BY IMAM ZAID SHAKIR

May 21, 2012 at 11:18 pm

Text of Imam Zaid’s Commencement Speech At Brighter Horizons Academy, Dallas, Texas (slightly edited for Publication) You are blessed to have your graduation occur on a memorable day that you should never forget. Today is May 19th. It is the date of your graduation and it is Malcolm X’s birthday.…

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War Chronicle / Peace Plea

BY IMAM ZAID SHAKIR

Apr 30, 2012 at 10:37 pm

War Chronicle How many babies will you kill? Before you realize, each time you kill an innocent that it’s your heart that dies. A way of life that’s steeped in blood from sea to shining sea. murder behind the veil of lies, proclaimed as…

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The French Massacre: A Descent Into the Abyss

BY IMAM ZAID SHAKIR

Mar 24, 2012 at 9:11 am

When you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you. Friedrich Nietzsche In the aftermath of the murderous spree in France, allegedly committed by a French “Jihadi,” Mohammed Merah, it should be clear to any observer that the so-called Jihad movement will never bring any good to…

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Syria and the Vagaries of Political Violence

BY IMAM ZAID SHAKIR

Feb 16, 2012 at 4:44 pm

As Syria hurtles towards destruction, with the ongoing bombardment of Homs and the escalating assault on Hama, Dar’a, Idlib and many other Syrian cities and towns by a regime consumed by hubris, we can see clearly how political violence can lead to unexpected outcomes. At the beginning of the now…

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Giving Thanks

BY IMAM ZAID SHAKIR

Nov 24, 2011 at 1:23 pm

The Hadith of Gabriel (Jibril) is considered by most Muslim scholars to be one of the fundamental texts of our religion. It presents, in a comprehensive way, the foundations of Islam. This is made clear by the fact that the Prophet, blessings and peace upon him, mentions to Umar ,…

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The significance of Abraham in Our World Today Needs to Be Asserted

BY IMAM ZAID SHAKIR

Oct 30, 2011 at 3:33 pm

God mentions the origins of the pilgrimage, when He orders Abraham: “Proclaim the pilgrimage to humanity; they will respond, coming to the Sacred House on foot, riding every possible conveyance; coming from every distant path.” (22:27) It is related that Abraham responded by saying, “My Lord! How can I call…

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